Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Choir and Orchestra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth




Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Choir and Orchestra's song "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" center around celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The first stanza describes the angels proclaiming "glory to the newborn King" and calling for peace and reconciliation between God and humanity. The second stanza goes deeper into the theological significance of Jesus' birth, referring to him as the "incarnate Deity," or the divine made human. The final stanza hails Jesus as the "Prince of peace" and "Son of Righteousness," who brings light, life, and healing to the world.


The song was originally composed by Charles Wesley in 1739, with music added by Felix Mendelssohn in 1840. Despite its Christmas theme, the song was actually written as a hymn for the celebration of Jesus' resurrection, and the original opening line was "Hark! how all the welkin rings." It wasn't until the early 20th century that the song became associated with Christmas and its lyrics were revised to reflect this.


Line by Line Meaning

Hark the herald angels sing
Listen to the joyful songs the heavenly angels are singing


"Glory to the newborn King!"
Praise and celebrate the birth of the savior, Jesus Christ


Peace on earth and mercy mild
May there be peace and forgiveness for all on earth


God and sinners reconciled
Through Christ's birth, sinners are forgiven and reconciled with God


Joyful, all ye nations rise
Let people from all nations rise up with joy


Join the triumph of the skies
Join the celebration of the angels in heaven


With the angelic host proclaim:
Together with the angels, announce to the world


"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Christ, the savior, has been born in Bethlehem


Hark! The herald angels sing
Listen, as the joyful angels continue to sing


"Glory to the newborn King!"
Praise and celebrate the birth of the savior, Jesus Christ


Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ is praised by the highest heaven


Christ the everlasting Lord!
Christ is the eternal Lord and ruler


Late in time behold Him come
After many years, witness Christ's arrival


Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Born of a virgin, Mary


Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Although divine, Christ is covered in human flesh


Hail the incarnate Deity
Give praise to the God made flesh


Pleased as man with man to dwell
Christ is content to live as a human among humans


Jesus, our Emmanuel
Jesus is our savior, God with us


Hark! The herald angels sing
Listen, as the joyful angels continue to sing


"Glory to the newborn King!"
Praise and celebrate the birth of the savior, Jesus Christ


Hail the heav'n-born Prince of peace!
Praise the Prince of peace, born from heaven


Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Praise the son of righteousness


Light and life to all He brings
Christ brings light and life to all who follow him


Ris'n with healing in His wings
Raised up from death, Christ brings healing and hope


Mild He lays His glory by
Christ humbly sets aside his divine glory


Born that man no more may die
Christ was born to bring eternal life and freedom from death


Born to raise the sons of earth
Christ was born to raise humanity from the depths of sin


Born to give them second birth
Christ was born to give people a new spiritual life


Hark! The herald angels sing
Listen, as the joyful angels continue to sing


"Glory to the newborn King!"
Praise and celebrate the birth of the savior, Jesus Christ




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Downtown Music Publishing, Abkco Music Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Wesley, Felix Mendelssohn

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@davidmehnert6206

Iowa Class

I had the same problem, albeit somewhat secularized —

“Give my regards to Broadway,
Remember me to Harold Square...”

Who is this “Harold”, a.k.a. “Mr. Square”?
Does he eschew cigarettes?
Would he even be aware

That some would admire him,
And others despair

That his personal habits
Qualified him for the lair?



@davidmehnert6206

Nothing like the the MTC first thing in the morning, on this 11th December 2018, with my coffee and cigarette...

They say that organ is loud enough, at full volume, to be heard from Manti to St. George...

How I’d love to hear it “weigh in” on Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, or maybe on a round of “Also Sprach....”

But for that, I still be hiding under my dock....

[Feeling the frosty,
But don’t know the Shosty?
Click here for more,
After minute mark four —

https://youtu.be/SpS4TuSx3DE ]

🐝🐝👀



@Shaffaqwamiq

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With th’angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ by highest heav'n adored,
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”



@hepta2014

MORE
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled."
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th' angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!
Christ, by highest heaven adored:
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the favoured one.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail, th'incarnate Deity:
Pleased, as man, with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!
Hail! the heaven-born
Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the son of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King !"



All comments from YouTube:

@johnconcerto8721

I am TRYING to find God. This is what Christians produce. It is unbelieveably beautiful.

@Monicax95

I found God through A Course in Miracles, because that's what I needed: a miracle healing from Stage 4 cancer. 10 years later I'm still here, thank you God for all of the healing you've blessed me with! I hope you find God, as well, because he's pretty awesome :)

@nairobiacademyofjazz690

2020 with the pandemic. Where are the likes if you are still here... Christmas is round the corner y'all

@iowaclass5657

True story, until age 12, I had never actually seen the word “herald” written down, only heard people say it, and legitimately thought this song was about an angel named “Harold”.

@mrbenoit5018

Iowa Class “I say ‘hark!’, and Harold Angel starts to sing!” - Sally Brown, sister of Charlie

@davidmehnert6206

Iowa Class

I had the same problem, albeit somewhat secularized —

“Give my regards to Broadway,
Remember me to Harold Square...”

Who is this “Harold”, a.k.a. “Mr. Square”?
Does he eschew cigarettes?
Would he even be aware

That some would admire him,
And others despair

That his personal habits
Qualified him for the lair?

@frankpichardo5299

Iowa Class 😂

@donnad6677

When my son was probably about 9, one day he asked me "Mama, Who is Grace, and what did she do that was so amazing? True Story.
I started laughing at fitst...The I explained it.
🤣

@d.l.l.6578

I used to think human beings were human beans.

6 More Replies...

@RodgerRamjet

As a devout Christian.. this has to be the best Choir on Planet Earth...chills... tears... at the majesty they bring to my Favorite Carols..

More Comments

More Versions